Attaining an unprecedented rating in Korean cable history, OCN's new fusion period drama Medical Gibangtakes place inside a "gibang" (an ancient Korean brothel) during the Joseon era. The story revolves around three gisaeng (Korean geishas) who specialize in sex therapy, with offering sex as the preferred treatment method. Their clients range from a high-profile royalty (a crowned prince who reveals a peculiar sexual dysfunction) to other prominent figures who suffer from impotence and low libido.
Offering a wild new twist to sex and eroticism in the Joseon era, this 10-episode series won the hearts of many critics with its immaculate scriptwriting, aesthetically alluring images, and high-caliber acting performances by cast members like Seo Young (The Temptation of Eve) and Hong So Hee (The King and I). Borrowing the plot structure already proven successful in American TV dramas, each episode in Medical Gibang weaves out its own complete story, while merging together as a whole into a big common plot.
After witnessing her sister gang raped by a group of aristocratic men, Yeon (Hong So Hee) goes on a revenge rampage castrating every man she comes across. One day, while running from the police, Yeon meets Gye Wal (Lee Il Hwa), the owner of Joseon's most famous brothel. Gye Wal who is spellbound by Yeon's natural beauty succeeds in recruiting Yeon who makes it her life mission to become Joseon's most wanted gisaeng. But life in the brothel comes with many challenges as she faces a stiff competition from Mae Chang (Seo Young), who resents Yeon's natural talents. The friction intensifies when the brothel's bodyguard Woon (Philip Choi, Soulmate) comes in between the two rivals.